CBCP-NASSA: Slay of Fr. Tito Paez an assault to the Church

The social action arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Friday condemned the killing of a priest of the Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija and considered the crime as an assault to the Church and its mission for social justice.

In a statement, the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)—also known as Caritas Philippines—said that the 72-year-old Fr. Marcelito "Tito" Paez devoted his life for social justice and the empowerment of the poor as a pastor of the Church.

His brutal death in the hands of his assassins "is an attack on the Church and Her mission...," the NASSA statement says.

Also it said that his death would surely create a climate of fear among Filipinos working for the development of grassroots-level communities, considered by the Church as the wellspring of faith and genuine service for one another.

Likewise, it said that Fr. Tito is one of the many clergy and religious people who offered their lives for the cause of social justice.

Fr. Tito heeded the call of Pope Francis to serve in “The Church [that], guided by the Gospel of mercy and by love for mankind, hears the cry for justice..."

"His engagement with the poor expressed his desire to address inequity of enormous fortunes of some few individuals, and the utter poverty of the masses,” the statement added, citing social encyclical Rerum Novarum.

Hours before he was shot to death by assassins riding tandem on a motorbike last December 4, Fr. Tito facilitated the release of political prisoners from the Cabanatuan City Provincial Jail.

The attackers, the statement noted, "were suspected to be state security forces or their assets."

Thus, NASSA calls on President Rodrigo Duterte to order a thorough investigation into the incident to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Citing another social encyclical Justice In The World, NASSA also calls on the faithful and all the people of goodwill to stand up and unite in promoting social justice as an "important dimension of the preaching of the Gospel."

The statement was signed by NASSA executive secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez and  national director Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona. —LBG, GMA News